Characterization of Membrane Currents in Pulmonary Neuroepithelial Bodies: Hypoxia-Sensitive Airway Chemoreceptors

Neuroepithelial bodies (NEB) are composed of clusters of innervated amine and peptide containing cells located within the airway epithelium of human and animal lungs (Fig. 1A). Because of their location, direct studies on NEB are difficult, and their precise function has remained a mystery. NEB are most numerous during the perinatal period and they may play an important role in the transition from intrauterine to post-natal life. Based on alterations of NEB amine content both in vivo (Lauweryns & Cokelaere, 1973, Lauweryns et al 1977) and in vitro (Cutz et al, 1993), it has been postulated that NEB function as hypoxia-sensitive airway chemoreceptors responding to hypoxic stimuli by releasing their amine content. We recently obtained direct support for this transducer function following the demonstration that the outward K+ current in cultured NEB was suppressed by acute exposure to hypoxia (Youngson et al, 1993). Presented here is a description of the membrane properties of NEB cells and a consideration of the similarities they share with arterial chemoreceptors, that is the carotid body (CB) glomus cells.